The Federal Council declares an “extraordinary situation” under the Epidemics Act. Shops, restaurants, bars, entertainment and leisure venues close until 19 April, except for food and health. Border controls with Germany, France and Austria begin at midnight. The Federal Council approves the deployment of the army, up to 8,000 troops, to support the cantons. Alain […]
The Saudi G20 presidency invites Switzerland to the meeting of health ministers, held by videoconference. The pandemic is at the centre. Alain Berset defends the WHO’s role in coordinating the international response: “The fight against Covid-19 requires international solidarity and a global response. This threat can only be fought by working together.” Cooperation is judged […]
The Federal Council decides on a second easing step. From 11 May, shops, restaurants, markets, museums and libraries reopen; primary and secondary schools return to classroom teaching; sport resumes for training; public transport services are greatly increased. Matura certificates may be awarded on the basis of the year’s marks, with the cantons deciding on examinations. […]
Given the favourable trend, the Federal Council decides on a broad easing for 6 June: events of up to 300 people, spontaneous gatherings of up to 30 people, reopening of leisure facilities and tourist attractions. It also decides to stop treating the situation as extraordinary from 19 June: the return to the “special situation” gives […]
The Fribourg International Film Festival, cancelled in March, offers a special evening, “34 et demi”, with the 2020 Grand Prix, “You Will Die at 20”. It is one of the first returns to the cinema after lockdown. Alain Berset addresses the “friends of anticipated realities” and quotes the speech he had planned for March, built […]
In Geneva, Alain Berset meets separately the French Minister for Solidarity and Health, Olivier Véran, and the German Minister of Health, Jens Spahn. With Olivier Véran: good cooperation during the pandemic, particularly in border regions, European and international coordination on vaccines, cross-border health threats and tracing apps. With Jens Spahn: cross-border cooperation during the crisis. […]
The Austrian minister Rudolf Anschober brings together the health ministers of Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland by videoconference, an annual format since 2013. On the agenda: the lessons of the pandemic, the supply of medical goods, tourism, the coming flu season, flu vaccines and the distribution of the future COVID-19 vaccine. The final declaration […]
At the invitation of Emmanuel Macron, Alain Berset attends the 14 July ceremony on the Place de la Concorde from the presidential stand. It pays tribute to health workers and to all those who fought COVID-19. Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Austria are invited for having taken in French patients: between late March and early April, […]
1 August speech in Bellinzona, given in Italian and German: “Questo non è un anno come gli altri.” The crisis is not over; since mid-June, infections have been rising again and the cantons are reporting outbreaks. He calls on everyone to curb the rise, recalling what the country achieved in the spring. Speeches on this […]
Alain Berset presents the Federal Council’s position on two weeks of paternity leave, put to the vote on 27 September after an SVP referendum. The current leave of one or two days no longer matches family life; the self-employed are entitled to nothing. Cost: about 230 million francs a year, financed by 0.05 percentage points […]
The Lucerne Festival holds a reduced edition. Alain Berset addresses an audience gathered in a hall again: “Echte Menschen, dreidimensional, leibhaftig anwesend.” The “Schock des Alten”, he says. The crisis has made everyday life unrecognisable: closed schools, empty town centres, working from home, a world without culture experienced directly. The concert regained says what was […]
At the company Boschung, at a conference of economiesuisse and the Vaud Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alain Berset defends the Federal Council’s position against the limitation initiative, put to the vote on 27 September. He starts from the Broye, where Vaud and Fribourg are as intertwined as Switzerland and Europe, to defend the free […]
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